Stabilized aqueous enzyme solutions are commercially sold containing stabilizers against bacterial contamination, such as anionic and nonionic surfactants, benzoic acid, alkali metal benzoates with a small amount of an alkylolated urea possessing a heterocyclic ureido substituent, such as ##STR1## See EP Publication No. 0 342 924. The family of enzymes are suitable for this purpose, e.g., lyase, isomerase, ligase, oxidoreductase, transferase and hydrolase. Many of these solutions rely on enzymatic compositions that contoin anionic and nonionic surfactants to enhance the activity of the aqueous enzyme composition. U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,797 illustrates suitable enzyme compositions made by the fermentation of a mixture of molasses, raw cane sugar, malt yeast and a magnesium salt catalyst. Such a fermentation product may be mixed with anionic or nonionic surfactants. The enzyme solutions deodorize and clean glass, metal, fibers, proteinaceous surfaces, water bodies, and the like. They are particularly effective as pool and spa water clarifiers. Though such enzyme solutions are effective in their cleaning and clarifying action, they are typically not as effective as synthetic cleansing and clarifying systems that do not rely on enzymes.
Saponin is defined.sup.1 as any of numerous glycosides that occur in many plants (as soapbark, soapwort, or sarsaparilla), that are characterized by their properties of foaming in water solution and producing hemolysis when solutions are injected into the bloodstream, and that on hydrolysis yield a triterpenoid or steroid sapogenin and one or more sugars (as glycose, galactose, or xylose). They are also defined.sup.2 as a yellowish to white acrid hygroscopic amorphous substance that in powder form causes sneezing, that is extracted especially from soapbark or soapwort, that contains a triterpenoid saponin as the active ingredient, and that is used chiefly as a foaming emulsifying agent and detergent. FNT .sup.1 Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Mass., 1986. FNT .sup.2 See footnote 1.
Saponins function in nature as surfactants that assist the flow of sap and nutrients in the life support system of the plant. Common sources of saponins are Yucca Extract from Yucca Schidigera and Quillaia Extract from Quillaia Saponaria Molina, also known as Saponin, Sarsaponin, Soap Bark, Panama Bark, China Bark and Quillaia Saponin. Quillaia Extract is water soluble material that imparts foaming attributes, lubricity and cleaning action at low concentrations. In soaps, shampoos and bubble baths, it aids in stabilizing the thin lacey foams of synthetic surfactants. Saponins in soft drink formulations provide foaming properties to the drink. The combination foam is denser, giving the appearance of being thicker, richer and creamier, and is longer lasting. It is nonionic and will not react with most chemicals or cosmetic ingredients.
There is a need for enzyme-based cleaning and water clarifying compositions that are (i) environmentally safe in that their components are natural products or biodegradable, and (ii) overall effective in cleaning and water clarifying as non-enzyme based materials currently available and which are not environmentally safe. Conventional enzyme-based cleaners to the extent that they are environmentally safe, are not as effective as the non-enzyme based compositions.